Landing the Big One

Landing the Big One

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

12 Years On

Do you remember?

I was returning home from driving a kid to school.

Listening to Don Imus. "A plane has crashed into the World Trade Center."

Arrived home in time to watch on TV as the second plane hit.

Anger. Outrage. Sadness.

12 years later, I met a TSA guy at an elevator. "12 years," I said. He expressed the hope that 2013 would not be remembered along with 2001.

12 years before, the idea of a "TSA" would seemed unlikely. Unnecessary. Now? TSA and all those other agencies have been just good and lucky enough, I suppose, for transit systems. But there are those other on-going plots that leak through. Fort Hood. Boston Marathon.

Our wars in the Middle East? It goes on - the opening rounds fired when, exactly?

Long before 2001. Long before Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Before the "tanker wars." 60 years ago? 70? 100? When we stuck our nose into the Iran election back in the 1953?

The shift to a "holy war?" It, too, began before 9/11/01.

But . . . such things simmer always below the surface.

9-11-01 will do as a start point for the new era of al Qaeda and its ilk. None of us should ever again be as naive as we were on 9-10-01.

For those who have undertaken the long road of war and defense - now many of whom were 6 or 7 or 8 when the change began, "Thanks."

For those who died on 9-11-01 and in the battles since - we will not forget.

Ever.

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